31 October 2009

Every now and then I remind myself that all sorts of people happen by this blog. For the most part, we address ourselves to folks within certain niche that, while broad, is nonetheless defined. It has edges. Yet we know we have visitors and lurkers from all across the spectrum.

That's who I'm talking to, today. I am addressing a certain group not in our normal collection of readers. There may be 500 of you, or 5, or 1. If only one, that's fine: you are who I'm talking to.

I'm supposing that you're an outsider, and that you know it. You know something about Christianity; maybe a little, maybe a lot. But you know you're not a Christian, and you're honest enough to admit it. I appreciate that.

You hear all this talk of "evangelicalism" and "election" and "sovereignty" and all that, and you're not sure what it all means. It seems pretty hard and heady. Don't feel bad about that. It's hard and heady to us, too.

But here's what you really need to know. You need to know that you should come to Jesus, right now. That's the most important thing I have to say to you. It's the only thing I have to say to you: you should come to Jesus.

There are countless reasons why you — whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you've done — should come to Jesus. Let me give you five:

You really need Jesus. You've already begun to suspect as much. Let me earnestly assure you, you need Him far more than you know. So did I, and so do I! You need Him because you are far from God. God is not the shapeless, cuddly, Grampa in the Sky that some think. He is absolutely free from all that is wrong and wicked and sinful; He is bursting with life and purity and goodness and holiness. What is more, He cannot abide the contrary — crimes against His laws or His nature. You and I have committed those crimes. We've done it since we were old enough to do anything. We have lied, stolen, wanted things that weren't ours to have. We have lived for things or personal goals, rather than for God above all. Even one such crime makes us a criminal, and God must punish such crimes. There is no appeal beyond His court. His verdict is final, and it will be terrible.

Jesus Himself calls you to come. If He hadn't called you, I would have no right to do so now. But Jesus says, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). That is a wide-open door, big enough for you to squeeze through. He says, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). What's more, He says "whoever comes to me I will never cast out (John 6:37). To me, that is one of the most precious promises in all of Scripture. I cling to that like a drowning man to a life raft. What could possibly keep you from leaping to come, as Jesus calls you? It is a call, it is an invitation — and it is a command.

Jesus alone has the absolute right to call you and command you to come. Jesus was no mere sage nor philosopher. He was and is God in human nature, and He was and is Lord. He is not merely the king nor president of this nor that nation, of this nor that ethnicity — He is the head of the entire human race. He alone has the authority to call you and me, to command us, and He has the right to expect us to come — and to deal severely with us if we do not. That is, He has the right to make terrible and true threats to anyone who refuses to come. And He has the right to promise all the glorious, wonderful blessings which He gives as free gifts to all who do come.

When you do come, you will see that it was all a free gift of God, and that you have God alone to thank and credit for what He will do for you. Had He not drawn me, I never would have come. But because He drew me, I came. Had He not given me life, I never would have come. But He gave me life — freely! by grace! — and I came. I owe every bit of it, I must give every last ounce of credit for it, to God and to God alone. I cannot begin to tell you how much I owe Him, how much love and honor and credit and praise He deserves. For now, let me just say "ALL," and add "to Him ALONE."

No church can do this for you. No ritual can do this for you. No philosophy can do this for you. No self-improvement program can do this for you. In fact, no thing can do any of this for you. Only a person can do this for you, and only one Person can do this for you: Jesus Christ.

So, come to Him! Come now! Why ever would you not come? Now is the only time you know you have; tomorrow never comes. Many have died since you began reading this. Your need to come is urgent, your opportunity to come is fleeting

Come to Jesus!
Of course, much more should be said, and could be said. For instance:

If you want to read more about why it makes sense to believe Jesus, read this.

If you want to read more about why you need Jesus, and what He has done to meet the needs of people just like you, and what it means to believe in Jesus,read this.

If you do come, and believe in Jesus, and want to know where to go from here, read this.

15 comments:

Beautiful, Dan. Maybe the most beautiful thing you've ever written, for its simplicity. Cutting through all the theology, this is where the rubber meets the road: We all need to come to Jesus. Nothing else matters, if we do - or for that matter, if we don't.I'm going to go download your interview on the Edwards show now, finally.

Blessed reflections to you Dan, on this great day in the history of His story.

"That word above all earthly powers— No thanks to them—abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are oursThrough him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also; The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever."

Christ has died on a cruel Cross, Christ has risen three days later, and Christ will surely come back to Earth again!

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